Pascual's milestones: from foining Zenit to 200 wins as head coach
Now, Pascual has 286 games under his back, with 200 victories distributed as follows: 147 in the VTB United League (including 4 wins against Zelena Gura and Kalev in the 2021/22 season), 36 in the EuroLeague, 9 in the Russian Cup and 8 in the VTB United League Super Cup.
The Spanish specialist joined Zenit on February 15, 2020, and for over five years, the blue-whites and their coach have been striving for new heights together. His first season was interrupted due to the pandemic, but one of the final games of the 2019/20 campaign was in the EuroLeague. Back then, Zenit secured an overtime victory against Lithuanian Zalgiris.
A year after his appointment, on February 14, Pascual earned the right to coach the World Stars team at the All-Star Game. Then, on April 20, 2021, he signed a new three-year contract with Zenit. The club found in Pascual a strong leader capable of developing players and the organization as a whole, while the coach saw Zenit as a place where he could build a successful team in both Russia and Europe.
One of the first major successes came in the spring of 2021. On April 30, in Game 4 of the EuroLeague quarterfinals, Zenit defeated Barcelona, forcing a Game 5 in the playoff series — an incredible turnaround considering the team had finished last in the tournament just a year earlier.
Later, on May 8, 2021, Pascual was named VTB United League Coach of the Year, a well-deserved recognition of his achievements. That season, Zenit didn’t reach the VTB League final, but the best was yet to come.
On September 4, 2021, Zenit won its first trophy under Pascual’s leadership — the Kondrashin and Belov Cup, revived by the club in collaboration with the Saint Petersburg Basketball Federation and the city's Sports Committee.
By the end of the year, on December 26, Pascual celebrated his 100th game as Zenit's head coach. The team dominated UNICS Kazan on the home court, and the coach received a special commemorative jersey with his surname and the number 100 on the back.
On May 13, 2022, Zenit advanced to the VTB United League final. The series against UNICS began with a home loss, but Zenit responded with three straight wins, securing their first-ever place in the league’s main event.
On June 5, 2022, Zenit became VTB United League champions. The team made history by defeating CSKA Moscow in the final series despite trailing 0-2 and later 1-3. They staged an incredible comeback, winning three consecutive games to claim their first league title.
In the autumn of that same year, Zenit reaffirmed its status as one of the strongest clubs in the country. On September 18, the blue-whites once again won the Kondrashin and Belov Cup, and a week later, on September 25, they secured their first-ever VTB United League Super Cup title.
On November 7, 2022, Zenit secured a victory over Nizhny Novgorod — Pascual’s 100th win as head coach. Reaching the next major milestone would take just over two years.
The 2023/24 season started with more victories. On September 16, 2023, Zenit won the Kondrashin and Belov Cup for the third consecutive time, defeating UNICS Kazan in the final. A week later, on September 24, another VTB United League Super Cup was added to their trophy collection after a dramatic final against Lokomotiv Kuban.
Zenit didn’t reach the VTB League final that season but achieved another significant triumph. On March 17, 2024, under Pascual’s leadership, Zenit won the Russian Cup for the first time in history. The team had reached the final in 2023 but fell short against Pari NN. A year later, they faced Nizhny Novgorod again in the decisive match and took revenge, claiming the national cup.
On September 6, 2024, another Kondrashin and Belov Cup was added to Zenit’s trophy case. Just like the previous season, they defeated MBA-MAI in the semifinals before overcoming UNICS Kazan in the final. It was their fourth consecutive triumph in the tournament.
And now, on March 23, 2025, Xavi Pascual has reached another major milestone — 200 wins as Zenit's head coach. In Yekaterinburg, the blue-whites defeated Uralmash with score 67:81.
The season is far from over, with new challenges ahead, but Zenit and Xavi Pascual continue moving confidently toward their ultimate goal.
